Salford Open Learning (SOL)

Hi and welcome to Salford Open Learning!

Salford Open Learning, or SOL, is an alternative education provision. This means that we offer a more suitable environment for students who haven’t achieved their potential in mainstream schools. We offer upto 25 hours per week; Monday to Friday. We also offer a range of different qualifications including GCSEs, BTECs and AQA awards

We try to make our learning environment as little like ‘school’ as possible so that the young people who come to us can achieve and succeed to the best of their abilities.

There are three form tutors who will be there every day for you to talk to and to help with any issues you might be having. There is also a Pastoral Learning Co-ordinator who will come and spend some 1:1 time with you to make sure that you are happy at SOL.

Young people have the opportunity to study English, maths and art GCSEs as well as taking part in lessons in PE, PSHE and Citizenship. They also can take part in Duke of Edinburgh and will complete AQA qualifications in cooking and preparing for independent living. There is also an opportunity to study vocational options that the young person can choose themselves.

When you start with SOL the first thing that happens is you will take some ‘On entry’ assessments. These are like tests, but not really, because there is no pass or fail! They simply let us know what level you work at in your English and maths so that a fully personalised program of learning can be then developed for you. This program is made into a Provision Map and these provision maps will be sent home for your parents or carers to see so that they know exactly what you will be doing with your time at SOL. All of your targets will be on your provision map so you know where you are looking to be as the weeks progress.

SOL only take Year 10 and Year 11 pupils and we try to keep our class sizes small. There might be some mixing of the classes when it comes to lessons such as the vocational options or if the whole of SOL are going to take part in a First Aid course, for example. But day-to-day, you will never have more than 9 other young people in your class alongside you.

SOL also provides breakfast in the morning and lunches for all their young people as well as refreshments throughout the day – so you will always have something nice to eat when you come. We serve lunches Monday – Friday.

All the staff at SOL, who are a mix of teachers and youth workers, are friendly and approachable and we work hard to make sure that all the young people who come to us fit in well and are given the opportunity to succeed to the best of their abilities.

In March 2017, Salford City Council commissioned an independent review of SOL. The inspection was carried out by an ex-OFSTED inspector – Ms Jane Austin, so please feel free to have a look at our report.